ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Malachi 2

Mal. 2:2–9 Since the priests failed to guard the temple’s purity, the Lord threatens to punish them. Because they “despised” (1:6) the Lord’s name, they will be despised and abased before all the people (2:9). Because they “polluted” God (1:7), he will pollute and remove them from the sanctuary, like dung from the sacrifices is removed (2:3; Ex. 29:14). Because they presumed to bless the people, as if God had accepted Israel’s sacrifices, God will now curse their blessings.

Mal. 2:10–16 Third Dispute: Why Are the People Faithless in Marriage? Malachi now describes Israel’s infidelity, which dishonors God. Malachi condemns two marital offenses: intermarriage with unbelievers (v. 11; compare Neh. 13:29) and unjust divorce (Mal. 2:13–16).

Mal. 2:13–14 Israel was distressed because God refused to accept their offerings, as evidenced by his not blessing them. Malachi explains that God was acting as a witness against husbands who were unfaithful to their wives. Marriage is not just a contract, a two-way agreement between husband and wife. Instead it is a covenant. Since the Lord was witness to it, marriage is a three-way relationship in which the couple is accountable to God. For this reason, faithfulness in marriage is linked to spiritual well-being. A couple’s relationship must be in good standing, or their prayers will be hindered (compare 1 Pet. 3:7). Other OT passages describing marriage as a covenant include Prov. 2:17; Ezek. 16:8–14; and especially Genesis 2. There, covenant words and phrases describe a husband’s duty (“leave” and “hold fast”; Gen. 2:24; “this at last is bone of my bones”; Gen. 2:23).

Mal. 2:15 Make them one recalls Adam and Eve’s marriage (Gen. 2:24). The Lord intends marriage to produce godly offspring (literally, “a seed of God”). Describing a person as “a seed of God” shows that God is a “Father” to his people through redemption (Mal. 1:6; 2:10; compare “the daughter of a foreign god” in v. 11).

Mal. 2:16 This verse is one of the most difficult OT passages to translate. The esv footnote includes the other most common translation. Despite the translation difficulty, this passage states clearly that the biblical standard for marriage comes from Gen. 2:23–24, which teaches that marriage is a covenant. Malachi refers to creation (Mal. 2:10), and calls marriage a covenant (v. 14). He refers to the oneness described in Gen. 2:24 (“union,” Mal. 2:15), and reminds his readers of the purpose of marriage (“godly offspring,” v. 15). The Israelite man who unjustly divorces his wife commits a serious offense. He violates the creation order and breaks his covenantal relationship with his wife. These acts damage his character (covers his garment with violence). But divorce affects more than just the husband and wife; it affects the whole community’s social and spiritual health (vv. 13–15). (See also the notes on Matt. 5:31–32; 19:3–9; Mark 10:10–12; 1 Cor. 7:15.)

Mal. 2:17–3:5 Fourth Dispute: Is God Unjust? Malachi accuses the people of wearying the Lord with their insulting complaints: “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord” and “Where is the God of justice?” Many of the people were distressed at the apparent failure of the prophetic promises of restoration (see Haggai 2; Zech. 1:16–17; 2:1–13; 8:1–9:17). Israel was experiencing continued social and political oppression and economic hardship (Neh. 1:3; 9:36–37; Mal. 3:11). Worse, they had been promised that God would return to his temple with greater glory than was seen at Moses’ tabernacle or Solomon’s temple (e.g., Zech. 1:16–17; 2:4–5; 10–13; 8:3–8; 9:9–17), but the rebuilt temple lacked any visible display of glory. Now, however, Malachi promises that “the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple” (Mal. 3:1). This prophecy was fulfilled ultimately in Jesus Christ (John 1:14; 2 Cor. 4:6).